I can see why people have been getting excited about Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother. Philosophically I found it spot on. People everywhere, not just in America, need to take their countries back from the despots who think that they can get away with anything in the name of “security”. How well it will succeed is another matter. Deciding to target it at the YA market is, I think, a stroke of genius, but whether it will actually appeal to that market is another matter. I have no idea whether Cory’s portrayal of youth culture is accurate or embarrassing; nor do I know how the YA market will take to the masses of geeky infodump that the book contains. Older readers may find the book lightweight and predictable. I know I found myself skimming much of it. But it is definitely worth a read, and I would not be too surprised to see it on the Hugo ballot next year.